PDC Tour: Michael van Gerwen and Michael Smith into final 16 at Dutch Darts Championship | Darts Information

Two-time world champion Peter Wright produced an important escape in opposition to Krzysztof
Ratajski within the Dutch Darts Championship, combating again from 5-1 all the way down to win 6-5; Michael van Gerwen and Michael Smith additionally into final 16

Michael van Gerwen thrashed Gabriel Clemens on dwelling soil

Michael van Gerwen eased by way of to the final 16 on an exhilarating day of second spherical motion on the Dutch Darts Championship, as Michael Smith started his title defence in convincing style.

Day Two of the 12 months’s sixth European Tour occasion noticed 16 second-round ties performed throughout two classes on Saturday, with Dutch No 1 Van Gerwen headlining the motion on the WTC Expo.

Van Gerwen was one in all 4 Dutch stars to progress on dwelling soil, with final 12 months’s runner-up Danny Noppert, Dirk van Duijvenbode and Berry van Peer additionally successful by way of to Finals Day in Leeuwarden.

Three-time World Champion Van Gerwen started his bid for a record-extending thirty sixth European Tour title with a 6-2 success in opposition to Gabriel Clemens, changing six of his 9 makes an attempt at double to advance.

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Talking on Love The Darts, Michael van Gerwen says Gerwyn Value’s present kind is on the fallacious time of the 12 months and that he’s nonetheless the most effective participant on the planet

“This implies quite a bit,” mirrored an emotional Van Gerwen, who celebrated his victory on stage along with his daughter Zoe. “I did not play properly in Rotterdam, however I’m pushing to carry out higher on a regular basis.

“That is solely the second time on the European Tour that my daughter is with me. She has had a superb weekend and I gained my sport, and I am glad I did. I like being again in Holland. I’d like to be enjoying at my finest, however I am not finished right here, and I might prefer to thank all of the followers for his or her help.”

Native favorite Noppert delighted the partisan dwelling crowd with a 6-1 demolition of Latvia’s Madars Razma, whereas Van Duijvenbode got here by way of a outstanding deciding-leg conflict in opposition to Dylan Slevin.

Van Duijvenbode took an almighty tumble on his walk-on and was in seen discomfort all through the tie, solely to conjure up an imposing 129 checkout within the decider to maintain his title tilt alive.

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Talking on Love The Darts, Mark Webster and Stuart Pyke focus on the energy of the game within the Netherlands and imagine Dirk van Duijvenbode is customized for the Premier League

Van Peer, in the meantime, dumped out final weekend’s Austrian Darts Open champion Jonny Clayton in a dramatic last-leg shoot-out, regardless of trailing 4-1 and 5-3 at one stage.

Elsewhere, Smith started his defence of the title by coming by way of a troublesome check in opposition to Jim Williams, crashing in six maximums and producing a trio of 12-darters to triumph with a three-figure common.

The World Champion will now tackle Peter Wright in spherical three, after the Scot fought again from 5-1 all the way down to stun Krzysztof Ratajski and create a showdown between the world’s prime two.

Michael Smith can be by way of to the final 16

Prime seed Luke Humphries averaged over 101 to shut out a 6-3 success in opposition to European Champion Ross Smith, and his reward is a final 16 assembly with UK Open champion Andrew Gilding.

Gilding averaged over 108 to defeat 2018 champion Ian White in a 10-leg thriller, kicking off the competition with 149, 103 and 121 finishes, earlier than warding off an impressed fightback from the Stoke-on-Trent star.

Nevertheless, Ryan Searle produced the efficiency of the day in Leeuwarden, averaging 109 in his 6-1 demolition of Premier League star Dimitri Van den Bergh, who averaged over 105 in defeat.

Keane Barry awaits Searle in Sunday’s final 16, after the Irishman recorded a second straight win over Rob Cross, changing 125 and 140 checkouts in defying a 104 common from the sixth seed.

Austrian Darts Open runner-up Josh Rock was the primary participant to win by way of to Sunday’s final 16, dismissing a brace of 116 finishes from Graham Corridor to wrap up a routine 6-2 victory.

Rock’s reward is a third-round date in opposition to second seed Dave Chisnall, who posted a ton-topping common and fired in 4 180s to beat a spirited Martin Lukeman.

Earlier within the day, Stephen Bunting edged out Joe Cullen in a topsy-turvy decider, surviving three match darts within the penultimate leg, having earlier surrendered a 4-1 benefit.

Nathan Aspinall, Damon Heta and Martin Schindler additionally booked their spots at Finals Day, working out 6-4 winners in opposition to Daryl Gurney, Steve Beaton and Roman Benecky respectively.

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